Device for separating interleaved carbons



April 5, 1960 J. ZALKIND 2,931,551

DEVICE FOR SEPARATING INTERLEAVED CARBONS Filed May 5, 1955 FIG. 2. INVENTOR.

JOSEPH :44 KIND,

2,931,551 DEVICE non SEPARATING INTERLEAVED CARBONS Joseph Zalkind, New York, NY.

Application May 5, 1955, Serial No. 506,134

7 Claims. (Cl. 225-93) This invention relates to machines for separating interleaved carbons and more particularly to a hand-powered machine for performing that function.

Reference is made to my Patents Nos. 2,289,161, 2,673,- 612 and 2,711,793, of which last patent this application, is a continuation-in-part. These patents show machines for separating carbons from associated papers to which they are secured; such papers being termed manifold forms and being attached together at one end to interleaved carbons in a well-known manner, a perforate line on each sheet of the form being provided near the attachment area, all as well understood. 1

The present invention relates to a simplified and smaller version than those referred to hereinabove, and intended for use under conditions of light service, as distinguished from machines capable of separating relatively thick stacks, of the order of a half-inch of interleaved forms, of which my prior devices are normally capable.

It is an object of my invention to provide a cheap, rugged, and practical hand-operated device for separating interleaved carbon forms.

:It is a further object of my invention to devise a structure so simple that virtually no maintenance is required therefor.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a device requiring no skilled in the operation thereof and which may be manipulated with considerable ease.

In general, my device operates on the principle of a toggle joint; I achieve this effect by providing a simple jointed or hinged structure comprising a pair of pivotally related members and means for securing a plurality of the forms thereto when said members are angularly related. Thus by holding the forms against angularly related plates, the forms are automatically shingled. They may then be pulled apart with ease as the angle between the plates is increased by relative movement thereof.

A more detailed description of my invention now follows, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the most simple embodiment of my toggle joint principle.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken longitudinally through an embodiment as shown in Figure l and illustrating a mode of operation of my device.

Figure 3 shows a modified element of the invention.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, my invention comprises a base member supported on side flanges 13 and being formed with a cutout area 16 at the outer end thereof. Adjacent to the cutout area are tabs or flanges 20 which form finger support means for an operator.

Struck from tabs 20 are tabs 20' which are upwardly and slantingly disposed to form abutment surfaces which serve to eifect shingling of leaves to be separated.

Hingedly secured to base member 10 as by a pintle 24 is a movable member 27 similarly provided with a cutout area 30 and flanges 33. A leaf spring 33' is carried by base 10 and serves to resiliently bias member 27 to an upward position.

i 'atented Apr. 5, 1960 ice 27 is obvious on the drawing. If new a plurality of inter leaved carbon forms 34 be placed on the flat areas of members 10 and 27, when said members are angularly related as shown in Figure 2, it will be apparent that a progressivebellying out of the lowermost sheets is effected as a consequence of the curvature of the stack and the shingling effected by tabs 20'. The ends of the sheets are grasped through the cutouts 16 and 30 by the fingers of an operator which find support against the flanges 20 and 33. If now the operator exerts a downward force on member 27 it will be apparent that the stack of sheets will be straightened out and by virtue of the shingling eflect the uppermost forms are the first to separate from their carbons; the process of separation continuing down to the last form with clockwise motion of member 27. Thus, the entire plurality of forms will have their carbons separated more easily than would be the case if the sheets were not shingled.

It will be apparent from the above consideration that the lengthwise dimensions of members 10 and 27 are suitable for a small range of form lengths, no adjustability being provided in this particular embodiment in order to achieve a maximum of economy and simplicity.

It will further be apparent that the amount of stress which can be exerted to pull the forms apart depends on the initial angularity between members 10 and 27 when the forms are secured thereto, which of course is a function of the relative difierence between the length of the forms to be separated and the total distance between cut outs 16 and 30 as measured along the surfaces of members 10 and 27. Thus, as the angle between members 10 and 27 is increased by clockwise motion of member 27 the force becomes increasingly greater in accordance with well-known principles of physics. It is apparent, therefore, that members 10 and 27 function as a toggle joint capable of exerting a considerable tensile force on the forms gripped therebetween; in fact, the tensile force is theoretically infinite when the angularity is increased to degrees.

The device may be made entirely of sheet metal, as will be apparent, by die-stamping and bending.

If desired, the cut-outs in the plates can be eliminated and a suitable friction surface provided to insure proper gripping. Thus, as shown on Figure 3, the plate 27' has a rubber surface 35 applied thereto. consist of sheet material cemented to the plate or it may be granulated rubber particles incorporated in a cement film on the plate.

I have found that an actual structure substantially as 'hereinabove described is very effectively operative and is.

clearly far superior to the conventional method of separating the forms merely by the use of the hands.

I am aware that my invention may be modified in many ways and accordingly I do not seek to be limited to the specific disclosure except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A device for separating interleaved carbon forms comprising a pair of plates at least one of which is sub stantially horizontally disposed, means hinging said plates to each other, said plates having outer areas disposed to support the top and bottom marginal portions of carbon forms and having areas arranged to substantially support intermediate areas of said carbon forms, said outer areas being provided with means to facilitate the manual holding of said portions thereto, said latter means comprising a cutout in an end of at least one of said plates and a finger abutment element adjacent said cutout.

2. A device for separating interleaved carbon forms comprising a pair of plates at least one of which is substantially horizontally disposed, means hinging said plaice Such surface may to each other, said plates having outer areas disposed to support the top and bottom marginal portions of carbon forms and having areas arranged to substantially support intermediate areas of said carbon forms, said outer areas being provided with means to facilitate the manual holding of saidportions thereto, said latter means comprising a flange at the outer end of at least one of said plates, said flange being disposed at an angle to the surface of said plate to serve as an abutment for the hand of an operator. I I I 3. A device for separating interleaved carbon forms comprising a pair of plates at least one of which is substantially horizontally disposed, means hinging said plates to each other, said plates having outer areas'disposed to support the top and button marginal portions of carbon 4. A device for separating interleaved carbon forms comprising a pair of horizontally disposed plates, means hinging said plates to each other, said plates having outer areas disposed to support the top and bottom marginal portions of carbon forms, and having areas arranged to substantially support intermediate areas of said carbon forms, said outer areas being provided with means to facilitate the manual holding of said portions thereto, one of said plates having a shingling means comprising a flange extending generally upwardly and slantedly with respect to said plate so as to eficcta shingling of the edge of a stack of carbon forms, including pedestal means for supporting one of said plates spacedly from a table surface and parallel thereto, said means for facilitating holding comprising a flange disposed at the end .of said sp'acedly supported plate and extending:

downwardly therefrom into the space effected by said pedestal means.

5. A device for separating interleaved carbon forms comprising a pair of plates at least one of which is substantially horizontally disposed, means hinging 'said plates to each other, said plates having outer areas disposed to support the top and bottommarginalportions of carbon forms and having areas arranged to substantially support intermediate areas of said carbon forms, said outer areas being provided with means to facilitate the manual holding or" said portions thereto, said manual holding means comprising a pair of downwardly bent spaced tabs at the end of an outer area of one of said plates, said plate being cut away in the space intermediate said tabs.

I comprising a pair of plates'at least one of which is substantially horizontally disposed, means hinging said plates to each other, said plates having outer areas disposed to support the top and bottom marginal portions of carbon forms and having areas arranged to substantially support intermediate areas of said carbon forms, said outer areas being provided with means to facilitate the manual holding of said portions thereto, including shingling means disposed at the outer area of one of said plates comprising a pair of upwardly and slantedly disposed spaced tabs, said manual holding means comprising a pair of downwardly bent spaced tabs at the end of an outer area of one of said plates, said plate being cut away in the space intermediate said tabs.

7. A device for separating interleaved carbon forms comprising a pair of plates at least one of which is substantially horizontally disposed, means hinging said plates to each other, said plates having outer areas disposed to support the top and bottom marginal portions of carbon forms and having areas arranged to substantially support intermediate areas of said carbon forms, said outer areas being provided with means to facilitate the manual holding of said portions thereto, including shingling means disposed at the outer area of one of said plates comprising a pair of upwardly and slantedly disposed spaced tabs, said manual holding means comprising a pair of downwardly bent spaced tabs at the end of an outer area of one of said plates, said plate beingcut away in the space intermediate said tabs, including means for resiliently biasing said plates toward each other comprising a leaf spring secured to at least one of said plates and engaging the other of said plates and disposed below said plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 90,482 Barth May 25, 1869 581,167 Mengert Apr. 20, 1897 1,114,782 Maloney 'Oct. 27, 1914 1,152,259 Allen Aug. 31, 1915 1,419,733 Hitchcock June 13, 1922 1,469,525 Nadolney Oct. 2, 1923 1,727,856 Bennet Sept. 10, 1929 2,138,338 Casasco Nov. 29, 1938 2,289,161 Zalkind July 7, 1942 2,579,835 Lather Dec. 25, 1951 2,597,602 Sipior May 20, 1952 2,611,432 Tallman Sept. 23, 1952 2,626,666 Coldiron Jan. 27, 1953 2,646,188 Buescher July 21, 1953 2,673,612 Zalkind Mar. 30, 1954 2,678,463 Westphal May 18, 1954 2,711,793 Zalkind June 28, 1955 

